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Medina DM, Acuña F, Abalos M, Aguirre LS, Avellaneda-Cáceres A, Zamar MI, Micheloud JF. Eutrombicula cochinocaensis infestation in llamas (Lama glama) in the Puna region of Argentina. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:1831-1835. [PMID: 38267711 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10310-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
This paper aims to describe a case of trombiculosis in llamas from the Puna region of Argentina caused by Eutrombicula cochinocaensis. Trombiculosis is a parasitic infestation caused by the larval form of trombiculid mites, commonly known as chigger mites. Six adult llamas out of eighteen (33%) were infested and showed dermatitis, hyperemia, and crusts together with an orange-dotted pattern. The chigger mites were found mainly in the hind limbs and the abdomen. Microscopic identification of E. cochinocaensis was made by phase-contrast microscopy. Then, a histopathological study of the affected animals' skin was performed. Histological findings included dermatitis withmainly lymphocytic infiltrate, pustules, crusts, hyperkeratosis, and the mites' stylostomes in the dermis and epidermis. This is the first report of trombiculosis caused by E. cochinocaensis in llamas from Argentina. Mites of the family Trombiculidae are vectors of certain diseases to humans and animals and are therefore of sanitary and productive importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego M Medina
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias-UCASAL, Salta, Argentina.
- Área de Salud Animal-IIACS Salta, CIAP-Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Salta, Argentina.
| | - Francisco Acuña
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Abra Pampa, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Jujuy, Argentina
| | - Marcos Abalos
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Abra Pampa, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Jujuy, Argentina
| | - Laura S Aguirre
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias-UCASAL, Salta, Argentina
- Área de Salud Animal-IIACS Salta, CIAP-Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Salta, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Avellaneda-Cáceres
- Área de Salud Animal-IIACS Salta, CIAP-Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Salta, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María I Zamar
- Instituto de Biología de la Altura, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina
| | - Juan F Micheloud
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias-UCASAL, Salta, Argentina
- Área de Salud Animal-IIACS Salta, CIAP-Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Salta, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Chaisiri K, Linsuwanon P, Makepeace BL. The chigger microbiome: big questions in a tiny world. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:696-707. [PMID: 37270375 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
'Chiggers' (trombiculid mite larvae) are best known as vectors of rickettsial pathogens, Orientia spp., which cause a zoonosis, scrub typhus. However, several other pathogens (e.g., Hantaan orthohantavirus, Dabie bandavirus, Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp., and Rickettsia spp.) and bacterial symbionts (e.g., Cardinium, Rickettsiella, and Wolbachia) are being reported from chiggers with increasing frequency. Here, we explore the surprisingly diverse chigger microbiota and potential interactions within this microcosm. Key conclusions include a possible role for chiggers as vectors of viral diseases; the dominance in some chigger populations of unidentified symbionts in several bacterial families; and increasing evidence for vertical transmission of potential pathogens and symbiotic bacteria in chiggers, suggesting intimate interactions and not simply incidental acquisition of bacteria from the environment or host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kittipong Chaisiri
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Piyada Linsuwanon
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Benjamin L Makepeace
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK.
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3
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Rickettsia felis and species of fleas parasitizing on household dogs in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2023; 92:101926. [PMID: 36473364 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2022.101926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsia felis is an obligate intracellular gra m-negative bacterium that belongs to the family of Rickettsiaceae. Ctenocephalides felis, cat flea, is the primary vector of the bacteria. The flea is the most common ectoparasite in dogs and associated with flea-borne spotted fever in humans. Information on R. felis and flea species parasitizing on dogs in Vietnam is limited. This study aimed to identify the species of fleas collected from dogs in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and detected the existence of R. felis in these fleas utilizing molecular tools. Morphological identification of 1618 fleas and molecular confirmation revealed the predominance of C. felis orientis parasitizing on dogs in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Sixty-eight out of 100 fleas collected from household dogs were positive for spotted fever group rickettsiae; whilst R. felis was detected in 97.06 % (66/68) of C. felis orientis and C. felis felis. The results of this study indicate the potentially high risk of R. felis infection to humans and animals.
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Current Data on Rickettsia felis Occurrence in Vectors, Human and Animal Hosts in Europe: A Scoping Review. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122491. [PMID: 36557744 PMCID: PMC9781214 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia felis is an emerging pathogen with increasing reports of human cases and detection in arthropod and animal host species worldwide. In this scoping review we record the newest data reported for R. felis in Europe: the vector and host species found to be infected, and the geographical distribution and prevalence of R. felis infection in vectors and hosts. A total of 15 European countries reported the occurrence of R. felis in hosts and vectors during 2017−2022. The vectors found to be infected by R. felis were flea, tick and mite species; Ctenocephalides felis and Ixodes ricinus were the dominant ones. The hosts found to be infected and/or exposed to R. felis were humans, cats and small mammals. Physicians should be aware of the epidemiology and include illness caused by R. felis in the differential diagnosis of febrile disease. Veterinarians should keep training pet owners on the need for effective year-round arthropod control on their pets, especially for fleas.
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Chen K, Roe RM, Ponnusamy L. Biology, Systematics, Microbiome, Pathogen Transmission and Control of Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae, Leeuwenhoekiidae) with Emphasis on the United States. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15147. [PMID: 36429867 PMCID: PMC9690316 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Chiggers are the larval stage of Trombiculidae and Leeuwenhoekiidae mites of medical and veterinary importance. Some species in the genus Leptotrombidium and Herpetacarus vector Orientia species, the bacteria that causes scrub typhus disease in humans. Scrub typhus is a life-threatening, febrile disease. Chigger bites can also cause dermatitis. There were 248 chigger species reported from the US from almost every state. However, there are large gaps in our knowledge of the life history of other stages of development. North American wide morphological keys are needed for better species identification, and molecular sequence data for identification are minimal and not clearly matched with morphological data. The role of chiggers in disease transmission in the US is especially understudied, and the role of endosymbionts in Orientia infection are suggested in the scientific literature but not confirmed. The most common chiggers in the eastern United States were identified as Eutrombicula alfreddugesi but were likely misidentified and should be replaced with Eutrombicula cinnabaris. Scrub typhus was originally believed to be limited to the Tsutsugamushi Triangle and the chigger genus, Leptotrombidium, but there is increasing evidence this is not the case. The potential of Orientia species establishing in the US is high. In addition, several other recognized pathogens to infect humans, namely Hantavirus, Bartonella, Borrelia, and Rickettsia, were also detected in chiggers. The role that chiggers play in these disease transmissions in the US needs further investigation. It is possible some of the tick-borne diseases and red meat allergies are caused by chiggers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiying Chen
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - R. Michael Roe
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Moniuszko H, Wojnarowski K, Cholewińska P. Not Only Leptotrombidium spp. an Annotated Checklist of Chigger Mites (Actinotrichida: Trombiculidae) Associated with Bacterial Pathogens. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101084. [PMID: 36297141 PMCID: PMC9611227 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mites of the family Trombiculidae are known for playing a role in maintaining and spreading the scrub typhus etiologic agent, an intracellular Gram-negative bacterium, Orientia tsutsugamushi. Species of the genus Leptotrombidium are investigated most thoroughly, particularly in SE Asia, and a few are proven vectors for the pathogen. The mentioned association, however, is not the only one among trombiculids. Here, we present a list of chiggers indicated in the literature as positive for bacterial pathogens, tested throughout almost 100 years of research. Taxonomic identities of trombiculids follow recent revisions and checklists. Results point at 100 species, from 28 genera, evidenced for association with 31 bacterial taxa. Pathogen-positive mites constitute around 3.3% of the total number of species comprising the family. Discussed arachnids inhabit six biogeographic realms and represent free-living instars as well as external and internal parasites of rodents, soricomorphs, scadents, lagomorphs, peramelemorphs, bats, passerine birds, reptiles and humans. A variety of so far detected bacteria, including novel species, along with the mites’ vast geographical distribution and parasitism on differentiated hosts, indicate that revealing of more cases of Trombiculidae-pathogens association is highly probable, especially utilizing the newest techniques enabling a large-scale bacterial communities survey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Moniuszko
- Section of Basic Research in Horticulture, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Konrad Wojnarowski
- Chair for Fish Diseases and Fisheries Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Paulina Cholewińska
- Institute of Animal Breeding, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 51-630 Wroclaw, Poland
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Herrera-Mares A, Guzmán-Cornejo C, Ulloa-García A, Córdoba-Aguilar A, Silva-de la Fuente MC, Suzán G. Mites, rodents, and pathogens: A global review for a multi-species interaction in disease ecology. Acta Trop 2022; 232:106509. [PMID: 35569525 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
More than ever, there is a need to understand how pathogens, vectors and hosts occur temporally and spatially to predict the occurrence of zoonotic outbreaks. Related to this, mites of the Mesostigmata and Trombidiformes orders have the potential to transmit several diseases, yet their information of occurrence, distribution and zoonotic accompanying agents have not been systematically organized. We conducted a systematic review using a combination of words through the Sysrev platform, as well as literature searches in specialised databases to identify global patterns of infections, trends in mite-rodent-pathogen research and existing knowledge gaps. The inclusion criterion was the detection of pathogens in mites, either by molecular or serological techniques or by direct observation under the microscope, which rendered 125 papers. Most works have been carried out in Asia, mainly around the transmission of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Interestingly, co-infections, i.e., the presence of more than one pathogen in an individual, are common in other Acari groups such as ticks. Moreover, this is not the case for Trombidiformes and Mesostigmata as only 4.7 percent of the articles reviewed detected more than one pathogen in these mites. It is important to include a multi-host, multi-vector and multi-pathogen approaches to understand complex systems in disease ecology. A synergy between mite taxonomists, physicians and veterinarians, decision-makers, governmental organisations, and society is needed to address the emergence of mite-borne new or neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Herrera-Mares
- Departamento de Etología, Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades y Una Salud, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico; Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Laboratorio de Acarología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Armando Ulloa-García
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Campus IV, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad, Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Gerardo Suzán
- Departamento de Etología, Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades y Una Salud, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Ponnusamy L, Garshong R, McLean BS, Wasserberg G, Durden LA, Crossley D, Apperson CS, Roe RM. Rickettsia felis and Other Rickettsia Species in Chigger Mites Collected from Wild Rodents in North Carolina, USA. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071342. [PMID: 35889061 PMCID: PMC9324336 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chiggers are vectors of rickettsial pathogenic bacteria, Orientia spp., that cause the human disease, scrub typhus, in the Asian–Pacific area and northern Australia (known as the Tsutsugamushi Triangle). More recently, reports of scrub typhus in Africa, southern Chile, and the Middle East have reshaped our understanding of the epidemiology of this disease, indicating it has a broad geographical distribution. Despite the growing number of studies and discoveries of chigger-borne human disease outside of the Tsutsugamushi Triangle, rickettsial pathogens in chigger mites in the US are still undetermined. The aim of our study was to investigate possible Rickettsia DNA in chiggers collected from rodents in North Carolina, USA. Of 46 chiggers tested, 47.8% tested positive for amplicons of the 23S-5S gene, 36.9% tested positive for 17 kDa, and 15.2% tested positive for gltA. Nucleotide sequence analyses of the Rickettsia-specific 23S-5S intergenic spacer (IGS), 17 kDa, and gltA gene fragments indicated that the amplicons from these chiggers were closely related to those in R. felis, R. conorii, R. typhi, and unidentified Rickettsia species. In this study, we provide the first evidence of Rickettsia infection in chiggers collected from rodents within the continental USA. In North Carolina, a US state with the highest annual cases of spotted fever rickettsioses, these results suggest chigger bites could pose a risk to public health, warranting further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; (C.S.A.); (R.M.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Reuben Garshong
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA; (R.G.); (B.S.M.); (G.W.)
| | - Bryan S. McLean
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA; (R.G.); (B.S.M.); (G.W.)
| | - Gideon Wasserberg
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA; (R.G.); (B.S.M.); (G.W.)
| | - Lance A. Durden
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Road Statesboro, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA;
| | - Dac Crossley
- Georgia Museum of Natural History, Natural History Building, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| | - Charles S. Apperson
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; (C.S.A.); (R.M.R.)
| | - R. Michael Roe
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; (C.S.A.); (R.M.R.)
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Kuo CC, Lee PL, Wang HC. Molecular identification of Rickettsia spp. in chigger mites in Taiwan. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 36:223-229. [PMID: 34846757 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The genus Rickettsia is the causative agent of several rickettsial diseases that are primarily transmitted by hard ticks. The occurrence of Rickettsia in chigger mites, which are vectors of scrub typhus in the western Pacific region, has been infrequently investigated. We identified Rickettsia spp. in chiggers collected from small mammals in six counties of Taiwan. Moreover, by capitalising on parallel Rickettsia detections on small mammals and their infested ticks and fleas, we were able to identify Rickettsia spp. that suggested more intimate associations with chigger mites. Rickettsia detection rates in 318 pools of chiggers were 21.7% and 22.3% when based on the ompB and gltA gene, respectively. Overall, we identified six (based on the ompB gene) and eight (gltA gene) Rickettsia species. Approximately half of the sequenced species were most similar to Rickettsia sp. clone MB74-1 (ompB gene) and Rickettsia sp. TwKM02 (gltA gene). Furthermore, both species were either infrequently or never identified in small mammals, ticks and fleas, which suggests that chigger mites might be the primary host of both rickettsiae. Whether both species are pathogenic to humans remains to be studied. They may also be microbial endosymbionts of chigger mites, with their potential effects on the pathogenicity of the aetiologic agent of scrub typhus deserving further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Chien Kuo
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Lung Lee
- Center for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsi-Chieh Wang
- Center for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
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Genomic evolution and adaptation of arthropod-associated Rickettsia. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3807. [PMID: 35264613 PMCID: PMC8907221 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07725-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia species are endosymbionts hosted by arthropods and are known to cause mild to fatal diseases in humans. Here, we analyse the evolution and diversity of 34 Rickettsia species using a pangenomic meta-analysis (80 genomes/41 plasmids). Phylogenomic trees showed that Rickettsia spp. diverged into two Spotted Fever groups, a Typhus group, a Canadensis group and a Bellii group, and may have inherited their plasmids from an ancestral plasmid that persisted in some strains or may have been lost by others. The results suggested that the ancestors of Rickettsia spp. might have infected Acari and/or Insecta and probably diverged by persisting inside and/or switching hosts. Pangenomic analysis revealed that the Rickettsia genus evolved through a strong interplay between genome degradation/reduction and/or expansion leading to possible distinct adaptive trajectories. The genus mainly shared evolutionary relationships with α-proteobacteria, and also with γ/β/δ-proteobacteria, cytophagia, actinobacteria, cyanobacteria, chlamydiia and viruses, suggesting lateral exchanges of several critical genes. These evolutionary processes have probably been orchestrated by an abundance of mobile genetic elements, especially in the Spotted Fever and Bellii groups. In this study, we provided a global evolutionary genomic view of the intracellular Rickettsia that may help our understanding of their diversity, adaptation and fitness.
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Kim M, Kim JY, Yi MH, Lee IY, Yong D, Jeon BY, Yong TS. Microbiome of Haemaphysalis longicornis Tick in Korea. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2021; 59:489-496. [PMID: 34724768 PMCID: PMC8561044 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2021.59.5.489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Ticks can transmit pathogenic bacteria, protozoa, and viruses to humans and animals. In this study, we investigated the microbiomes of Haemaphysalis longicornis according to sex and life stages. The Shannon index was significantly higher for nymphs than adult ticks. Principal coordinates analysis showed that the microbiome composition of female adult and male adult ticks were different. Notably, Coxiella-like bacterium (AB001519), known as a tick symbiont, was found in all nymphs and female adult ticks, but only one out of 4 male adult ticks had Coxiella-like bacterium (AB001519). In addition, Rickettsia rickettsii, Coxiella burnetii, and Anaplasma bovis were detected in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myungjun Kim
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Ju Yeong Kim
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Myung-Hee Yi
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - In-Yong Lee
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Dongeun Yong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Bo-Young Jeon
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Tai-Soon Yong
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
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12
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Tariq M, Seo JW, Kim DY, Panchali MJL, Yun NR, Lee YM, Kim CM, Kim DM. First report of the molecular detection of human pathogen Rickettsia raoultii in ticks from the Republic of Korea. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:191. [PMID: 33827669 PMCID: PMC8025568 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04695-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rickettsial diseases associated with the spotted fever group constitute a growing number of newly identified Rickettsia pathogens and their tick vectors in various parts of the world. At least 15 distinct tick species belonging to six genera have shown the presence of Rickettsia raoultii. Herein, we report the detection of R. raoultii in ticks from the Republic of Korea (ROK). Methods Thirty-five ticks were collected from 29 patients with tick bites in Gwangju Metropolitan City, Jeollanam Province, ROK. The ticks were identified using molecular, morphological, and taxonomic characteristics. All samples were screened for presence of Rickettsia species using nested polymerase chain reactions of their outer membrane protein (ompA) and citrate synthase (gltA) genes. The amplified products were sequenced for subsequent phylogenetic analyses. Results Sequencing data showed the DNA sequences of R. raoultii in three Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks. All three tick samples were 99.4–100% similar to previously reported partial sequences of ompA of R. raoultii strains CP019435 and MF002523, which formed a single clade with the reference strains. Conclusions We provide the first description and molecular identification of R. raoultii detected in H. longicornis ticks in the ROK. This observation extends the geographical distribution of R. raoultii. Screening of human samples for this pathogen will provide information about the prevalence of rickettsial infections in this region. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Misbah Tariq
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Won Seo
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Da Young Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Na Ra Yun
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - You Mi Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Choon-Mee Kim
- Department of Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Min Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Xiang R, Guo XG. Research Advances of Leptotrombidium scutellare in China. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2021; 59:1-8. [PMID: 33684981 PMCID: PMC7939960 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2021.59.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Leptotrombidium scutellare is one of the 6 main vectors of scrub typhus in China. It has been found in more than 15 provinces of China. Especially in Yunnan, it was found to be mainly distributed in some mountainous areas with high altitude, low temperature and low precipitation. Rodents and some other small mammals were the most common hosts of L. scutellare. To date, more than 40 host species of L. scutellare have been recorded with very low host specificity, and the main hosts varied in different geographical regions. L. scutellare had a strong resistance against the cold environment, and the temperature and humidity were 2 important factors affecting its growth and development. Among different individuals of their rodent hosts, L. scutellare mites often showed an aggregated distribution pattern, which reflected the interspecific cooperation of the mites. The chromosome karyotype of L. scutellare was 2n=16 and all the 8 pairs of chromosomes were short rod-shaped with metacentric or sub-metacentric types. The isozyme spectrum supported that L. scutellare, L. deliense and L. rubellum were in the same species group. Based on the natural infection, experimental transmission and epidemiological evidence, L. scutellare has been eventually confirmed as the second major vector of scrub typhus in China, which is second only to L. deliense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Xiang
- Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan Province 671000, China
| | - Xian-Guo Guo
- Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan Province 671000, China
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14
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Špitalská E, Kraljik J, Miklisová D, Boldišová E, Sparagano OAE, Stanko M. Circulation of Rickettsia species and rickettsial endosymbionts among small mammals and their ectoparasites in Eastern Slovakia. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2047-2057. [PMID: 32382991 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06701-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia are known as causative agents of vector-borne zoonotic diseases, such as spotted fevers, epidemic typhus and endemic typhus. Different species of ticks, mites and fleas could act as reservoirs and arthropod vectors of different pathogenic Rickettsia species. The aim of this work was to establish active surveillance of Rickettsia spp. in mites, ticks and fleas collected from small mammals (rodents and shrews) in Eastern Slovakia. A total of 964 animal ear biopsies, 871 mites, 667 ticks and 743 fleas were collected from small mammals in the Košice region, Eastern Slovakia. All specimens were identified using specialized taxonomic keys, and were conserved in ethanol until DNA extraction was performed. After DNA extraction, identification of Rickettsia species was performed by PCR-based methods. The total prevalence of rickettsiae from ear biopsies was 4.6% (95% CI, 3.2-5.9), in tested mites 9.3% (95% CI, 7.4-11.2), 17.2% (95% CI, 14.3-20.1) in I. ricinus ticks and 3.5% (95% CI, 2.2-4.8) in fleas. Sequence analysis of the partial gltA gene and Rickettsia helvetica-, Rickettsia slovaca-, Rickettsia raoultii- species specific real-time PCR tests revealed the presence of R. helvetica, R. slovaca, unidentified Rickettsia and rickettsial endosymbionts. These pathogenic and symbiotic species were confirmed in the following ectoparasite species-Laelaps jettmari, Haemogamasus nidi, Laelaps agilis and Eulaelaps stabularis mites, Ixodes ricinus ticks, Ctenophthalmus solutus, C. assimilis and Megabothris turbidus fleas infesting host-Apodemus agrarius, A. flavicollis, Microtus arvalis and Myodes glareolus small mammals. These results confirm the circulation of R. helvetica, R. slovaca, unidentified Rickettsia and rickettsial endosymbionts in mites, ticks and fleas collected on small mammals in the Košice region, Eastern Slovakia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Špitalská
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
| | - Jasna Kraljik
- Institute of Zoology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Dana Miklisová
- Institute of Parasitology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Eva Boldišová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Olivier A E Sparagano
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Zoology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Institute of Parasitology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic
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15
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Domestic dogs are mammalian reservoirs for the emerging zoonosis flea-borne spotted fever, caused by Rickettsia felis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4151. [PMID: 32139802 PMCID: PMC7058065 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61122-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia felis is an obligate intracellular bacterium that is being increasingly recognized as an etiological agent of human rickettsial disease globally. The agent is transmitted through the bite of an infected vector, the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, however there is to date, no consensus on the pathogen's vertebrate reservoir, required for the maintenance of this agent in nature. This study for the first time, demonstrates the role of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) as a vertebrate reservoir of R. felis. The ability of dogs to sustain prolonged periods of rickettsemia, ability to remain asymptomatically infected with normal haematological parameters and ability to act as biological vehicles for the horizontal transmission of R. felis between infected and uninfected fleas provides indication of their status as a mammalian reservoir of this emerging zoonosis.
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16
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Jacinavicius FDC, Bassini-Silva R, Muñoz-Leal S, Welbourn C, Ochoa R, Labruna MB, Barros-Battesti DM. Molecular detection of Rickettsia genus in chigger mites (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) collected on small mammals in southeastern brazilian. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 28:563-568. [PMID: 31576972 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612019069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Chiggers are ectoparasites of vertebrates and may cause trombiculiasis or transmit pathogens to their hosts. Specimens collected from rodents and marsupials were morphologically identified as Herpetacarus hertigi, Eutrombicula tinami, Kymocta sp., Quadraseta brasiliensis, Quadraseta falconensis, Quadraseta flochi, Quadraseta mackenziei, Quadraseta pazca, Quadraseta trapezoides, Quadraseta sp., Serratacarus sp., and Trombewingia bakeri. These mites were submitted individually to molecular analyses for the detection of bacteria of the genus Coxiella, Hepatozoon and Rickettsia. Samples were positive to Rickettsia only. Obtained sequences for the gltA (350 pb) and ompA (488 pb) genes were identical to "Candidatus Rickettsia colombianensi", a species previously detected in ticks. In addition, molecular identification of mites based on 18S rDNA sequences are provided for H. hertigi, Kymocta sp., Q. brasiliensis, Q. pazca, Q. trapezoides, Quadraseta sp., and T. bakeri for the first time. This is the first report of the detection of a Rickettsia sp. in chigger mites collected on rodents in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando de Castro Jacinavicius
- Laboratório Especial de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.,Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia - FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Ricardo Bassini-Silva
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia - FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia - FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Cal Welbourn
- Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ronald Ochoa
- Systematic Entomology Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - Marcelo Bahia Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia - FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia - FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.,Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
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17
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Ogawa M, Takahashi M, Matsutani M, Takada N, Noda S, Saijo M. Obligate intracellular bacteria diversity in unfed Leptotrombidium scutellare larvae highlights novel bacterial endosymbionts of mites. Microbiol Immunol 2019; 64:1-9. [PMID: 31549736 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
It is well known that the mite Leptotrombidium scutellare carries the pathogen of scrub typhus, Orientia tsutsugamushi. However, our understanding of other bacterial endosymbionts of mites is limited. This study investigated the diversity of the obligate intracellular bacteria carried by L. scutellare using 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis with next-generation sequencing. The results showed that the detected bacteria were classified into the genera Rickettsia, Wolbachia, and Rickettsiella and an unknown genus of the order Rickettsiales. For further classification of the detected bacteria, a representative read that was most closely related to the assigned taxonomic classification was subjected to homology search and phylogenic analysis. The results showed that some bacteria of the genus Rickettsia were identical or very close to the human pathogens Rickettsia akari, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia felis, and Rickettsia australis. The genetic distance between the genus Wolbachia bacteria in the present study and in previous reports is highly indicative that the bacteria in the present study can be classified as a new taxon of Wolbachia. This study detected obligate intracellular bacteria from unfed mites; thus, the mites did not acquire bacteria from infected animals or any other infectious sources. Finally, the present study demonstrated that various and novel bacterial endosymbionts of mites, in addition to O. tsutsugamushi, might uniquely evolve with the host mites throughout overlapping generations of the mite life cycle. The roles of the bacteria in mites and their pathogenicity should be further examined in studies based on bacterial isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motohiko Ogawa
- Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mamoru Takahashi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Minenosuke Matsutani
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Takada
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, Japan
| | - Shinichi Noda
- Research Center for the Pacific Islands, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Masayuki Saijo
- Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
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18
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Jiang J, Choi YJ, Kim J, Kim HC, Klein TA, Chong ST, Richards AL, Park HJ, Shin SH, Song D, Park KH, Jang WJ. Distribution of Rickettsia spp. in Ticks from Northwestern and Southwestern Provinces, Republic of Korea. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2019; 57:161-166. [PMID: 31104408 PMCID: PMC6526208 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.2.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study was done to characterize distribution of Rickettsia spp. in ticks in the northwestern and southwestern provinces in the Republic of Korea. A total of 2,814 ticks were collected between May and September 2009. After pooling, 284 tick DNA samples were screened for a gene of Rickettsia-specific 17-kDa protein using nested PCR (nPCR), and produced 88 nPCR positive samples. Of these positives, 75% contained 190-kDa outer membrane protein gene (ompA), 50% 120-kDa outer membrane protein gene (ompB), and 64.7% gene D (sca4). The nPCR products of ompA, ompB, and sca4 genes revealed close relatedness to Rickettsia japonica, R. heilongjiangensis, and R. monacensis. Most Rickettsia species were detected in Haemaphysalis longicornis. This tick was found a dominant vector of rickettsiae in the study regions in the Republic of Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, USA
| | - Yeon-Joo Choi
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Jeoungyeon Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, Medical Department Activity-Korea/65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Terry A Klein
- Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, Medical Department Activity-Korea/65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, Medical Department Activity-Korea/65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, USA
| | - Hye-Jin Park
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Sun-Hye Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Dayoung Song
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Kyung-Hee Park
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Won-Jong Jang
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
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19
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Kim YS, Choi YJ, Lee KM, Ahn KJ, Kim HC, Klein T, Jiang J, Richards A, Park KH, Jang WJ. First isolation of Rickettsia monacensis from a patient in South Korea. Microbiol Immunol 2017; 61:258-263. [PMID: 28593634 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A Rickettsia sp. was isolated from the blood of a patient with an acute febrile illness using the shell vial technique; the isolate was named CN45Kr and was identified by molecular assay as Rickettsia monacensis, which was first recognized as a pathogen in Spain. Sequencing analysis showed that the gltA sequence of the isolate was identical to that of Rickettsia sp. IRS3. The ompA-5mp fragment sequence showed 100% identity to those of R. monacensis and Rickettsia sp. In56 and ompA-3pA In56 and 100% identity to that of Rickettsia sp. IRS3. The ompB sequence was found to have 99.9% similarity to that of R. monacensis IrR/Munich. This study confirms the pathogenicity of this agent and provides additional information about its geographic distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeon-Sook Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Munhwa-ro 282, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015
| | - Yeon-Joo Choi
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University College of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Science Building. Neungdong-ro 120, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029
| | - Kyung-Min Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University College of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Science Building. Neungdong-ro 120, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029.,International Vaccine Institute, SNU Research Park, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151742
| | - Kyu-Joong Ahn
- Department of Dermatology, Konkuk University College of Medicine, Neungdong-ro 120-1, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, South Korea
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- Fifth Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, APO AP 96205-5247
| | - Terry Klein
- Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, 65th Medical Brigate/USAMEDDAC-K, Unit 15281, APO AP 96205-528
| | - Ju Jiang
- Department of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Allen Richards
- Department of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Kyung-Hee Park
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University College of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Science Building. Neungdong-ro 120, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029
| | - Won-Jong Jang
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University College of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Science Building. Neungdong-ro 120, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029
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20
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Huang Y, Zhao L, Zhang Z, Liu M, Xue Z, Ma D, Sun X, Sun Y, Zhou C, Qin X, Zhu Y, Li W, Yu H, Yu XJ. Detection of a Novel Rickettsia From Leptotrombidium scutellare Mites (Acari: Trombiculidae) From Shandong of China. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:544-549. [PMID: 28399204 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Leptotrombidium scutellare mites, the vector of Orientia tsutsugamushi, have rarely been reported to associate with Rickettsia species. Three hundred nineteen chiggers were collected from the ears of 32 rodents captured in Huangdao District of Qingdao City, China, in October 2015. The chigger samples were tested for Rickettsia, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus, and hantavirus by PCR or RT-PCR amplification. All mites were classified morphologically and molecularly as L. scutellare chiggers. Rickettsial DNA sequences were amplified for four genes including 16S rRNA, ompB, gltA, and 17 kD protein genes. The minimum infection rate (MIR; number of positive pools/total specimens tested) of the Rickettsia species in the chiggers were 2.8% (9/319). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that individual genes were closely related to different Rickettsia species including R. felis (with 16S rRNA gene), R. australis (with gltA gene), an unnamed Rickettsia sp. TwKM02 (with ompB gene), and Rickettsia endosymbiont of soft tick Ornithodoros erraticus (with 17 kD protein gene). Phylogenic analysis of the concatenated sequence of 16S rRNA, gltA, ompB, and 17 kD protein genes indicated that the Rickettsia species from L. scutellare chigger was most closely related to R. australis and R. akari. These results indicated that the Rickettsia species in chiggers was unique; it was named Candidatus Rickettsia leptotrombidium. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus and hantavirus were not amplified from the chiggers, suggesting lack of infection of these pathogens in the chiggers. A unique Rickettsia species was detected in L. scutellare, which expanded the knowledge on the vector distribution of Rickettsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Huang
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Li Zhao
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Zhentang Zhang
- Huangdao District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China (; ; )
| | - Miaomiao Liu
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Zaifeng Xue
- Huangdao District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China (; ; )
| | - Dongqiang Ma
- Huangdao District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China (; ; )
| | - Xifeng Sun
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Yue Sun
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Chuanmin Zhou
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Xiangrong Qin
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Yelei Zhu
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Wenqian Li
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - Hao Yu
- Fudan University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue-Jie Yu
- School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250012, China ( ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, TX 77555-0609
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21
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Faccini JLH, Santos ACG, Santos SB, Jacinavicius FDC, Bassini-Silva R, Barros-Battesti DM. Trombiculiasis in domestic goats and humans in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2017; 26:104-109. [DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612016088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Trombiculiasis is an infestation caused by larval mites (chiggers) of the family Trombiculidae. Here, we provide the first report on parasitism by the chigger species Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans) and Eutrombicula batatas (Linnaeus) in goats and humans on farms in the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. Severe itching and dermatitis caused by the chiggers' bites were seen. From a total of 779 examined goats, 214 of them showed clinical signs of infestation, as well as family members of three farms of the region. Most of the cases occurred during the rainy season, from March to September.
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22
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Noh Y, Lee YS, Kim HC, Chong ST, Klein TA, Jiang J, Richards AL, Lee HK, Kim SY. Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in ticks collected from the southwestern provinces of the Republic of Korea. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:20. [PMID: 28069059 PMCID: PMC5223493 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1955-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rickettsiae constitute a group of arthropod-borne, Gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacteria that are the causative agents of diseases ranging from mild to life threatening that impact on medical and veterinary health worldwide. Methods A total of 6,484 ticks were collected by tick drag from June-October 2013 in the southwestern provinces of the Republic of Korea (ROK) (Jeollanam, n = 3,995; Jeollabuk, n = 680; Chungcheongnam, n = 1,478; and Chungcheongbuk, n = 331). Ticks were sorted into 311 pools according to species, collection site, and stage of development. DNA preparations of tick pools were assayed for rickettsiae by 17 kDa antigen gene and ompA nested PCR (nPCR) assays and the resulting amplicons sequenced to determine the identity and prevalence of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR). Results Haemaphysalis longicornis (4,471; 52 adults, 123 nymphs and 4,296 larvae) were the most commonly collected ticks, followed by Haemaphysalis flava (1,582; 28 adults, 263 nymphs and 1,291 larvae), and Ixodes nipponensis (431; 25 adults, 5 nymphs and 401 larvae). The minimum field infection rate/100 ticks (assuming 1 positive tick/pool) was 0.93% for the 17 kDa antigen gene and 0.82% for the ompA nPCR assays. The partial 17 kDa antigen and ompA gene sequences from positive pools of H. longicornis were similar to: Rickettsia sp. HI550 (99.4–100%), Rickettsia sp. FUJ98 (99.3–100%), Rickettsia sp. HIR/D91 (99.3–100%), and R. japonica (99.7%). One sequence of the partial 17 kDa antigen gene for H. flava was similar to Rickettsia sp. 17kd-005 (99.7%), while seven sequences of the 17 kDa antigen gene obtained from I. nipponensis ticks were similar to R. monacensis IrR/Munich (98.7–100%) and Rickettsia sp. IRS3 (98.9%). Conclusions SFG rickettsiae were detected in three species of ixodid ticks collected in the southwestern provinces of the ROK during 2013. A number of rickettsiae have been recently reported from ticks in Korea, some of which were identified as medically important. Results from this study and previous reports demonstrate the need to conduct longitudinal investigations to identify tick-borne rickettsiae and better understand their geographical distributions and potential impact on medical and veterinary health, in addition to risk communication and development of rickettsial disease prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoontae Noh
- Division of Zoonoses, National Institute of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, 28159, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeong Seon Lee
- Division of Zoonoses, National Institute of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, 28159, Republic of Korea
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, Yongsan US Army Garrison, Seoul, APO AP 96205-5247, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, Yongsan US Army Garrison, Seoul, APO AP 96205-5247, Republic of Korea
| | - Terry A Klein
- Public Health Command District-Korea, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, Yongsan US Army Garrison, Seoul, APO AP 96205-5281, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Hae Kyeong Lee
- Division of Zoonoses, National Institute of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, 28159, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Yeon Kim
- Division of Zoonoses, National Institute of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, 28159, Republic of Korea.
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Ahmed R, Paul SK, Hossain MA, Ahmed S, Mahmud MC, Nasreen SA, Ferdouse F, Sharmi RH, Ahamed F, Ghosh S, Urushibara N, Aung MS, Kobayashi N. Molecular Detection ofRickettsia felisin Humans, Cats, and Cat Fleas in Bangladesh, 2013–2014. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:356-8. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rajib Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
- Department of Biochemistry, Manikganj Medical College, Manikganj, Bangladesh
| | - Shyamal Kumar Paul
- Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | | | - Salma Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | | | | | - Faria Ferdouse
- Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | - Rumana Hasan Sharmi
- Department of Biochemistry, Manikganj Medical College, Manikganj, Bangladesh
| | - Farid Ahamed
- Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | - Souvik Ghosh
- Department of Hygiene, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St. Kitts, West Indies
| | - Noriko Urushibara
- Department of Hygiene, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Meiji Soe Aung
- Department of Hygiene, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Nobumichi Kobayashi
- Department of Hygiene, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
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24
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Dittrich S, Phommasone K, Anantatat T, Panyanivong P, Slesak G, Blacksell SD, Dubot-Pérès A, Castonguay-Vanier J, Stenos J, Newton PN, Paris DH. Rickettsia felis Infections and comorbid conditions, Laos, 2003-2011. Emerg Infect Dis 2016; 20:1402-4. [PMID: 25061919 PMCID: PMC4111177 DOI: 10.3201/eid2008.131308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Shpynov S, Pozdnichenko N, Gumenuk A. Approach for classification and taxonomy within family Rickettsiaceae based on the Formal Order Analysis. Microbes Infect 2015; 17:839-44. [PMID: 26423020 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2015.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Revised: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Genome sequences of 36 Rickettsia and Orientia were analyzed using Formal Order Analysis (FOA). This approach takes into account arrangement of nucleotides in each sequence. A numerical characteristic, the average distance (remoteness) - "g" was used to compare of genomes. Our results corroborated previous separation of three groups within the genus Rickettsia, including typhus group, classic spotted fever group, and the ancestral group and Orientia as a separate genus. Rickettsia felis URRWXCal2 and R. akari Hartford were not in the same group based on FOA, therefore designation of a so-called transitional Rickettsia group could not be confirmed with this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Shpynov
- N.F. Gamaleya FRCEM, Gamaleya Str., 18, Moscow, 123098, Russia.
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26
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Kuo CC, Shu PY, Mu JJ, Lee PL, Wu YW, Chung CK, Wang HC. Widespread Rickettsia spp. Infections in Ticks (Acari: Ixodoidea) in Taiwan. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 52:1096-1102. [PMID: 26336223 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are second to mosquitoes as the most important disease vectors, and recent decades have witnessed the emergence of many novel tick-borne rickettsial diseases, but systematic surveys of ticks and tick-borne rickettsioses are generally lacking in Asia. We collected and identified ticks from small mammal hosts between 2006 and 2010 in different parts of Taiwan. Rickettsia spp. infections in ticks were identified by targeting ompB and gltA genes with nested polymerase chain reaction. In total, 2,732 ticks were collected from 1,356 small mammals. Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides Supino (51.8% of total ticks), Haemaphysalis bandicota Hoogstraal & Kohls (28.0%), and Ixodes granulatus Supino (20.0%) were the most common tick species, and Rattus losea Swinhoe (44.7% of total ticks) and Bandicota indica Bechstein (39.9%) were the primary hosts. The average Rickettsia infective rate in 329 assayed ticks was 31.9% and eight Rickettsia spp. or closely related species were identified. This study shows that rickettsiae-infected ticks are widespread in Taiwan, with a high diversity of Rickettsia spp. circulating in the ticks. Because notifiable rickettsial diseases in Taiwan only include mite-borne scrub typhus and flea-borne murine typhus, more studies are warranted for a better understanding of the real extent of human risks to rickettsioses in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Chien Kuo
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Yun Shu
- Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jung-Jung Mu
- Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Lung Lee
- Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Wen Wu
- Department of Food Science, National Quemoy University, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Kung Chung
- Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection, Kinmen County, Taiwan
| | - Hsi-Chieh Wang
- Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan.
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27
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Panti-May JA, Torres-Castro M, Hernández-Betancourt S, Dzul-Rosado K, Zavala-Castro J, López-Avila K, Tello-Martín R. Detection of Rickettsia felis in Wild Mammals from Three Municipalities in Yucatan, Mexico. ECOHEALTH 2015; 12:523-527. [PMID: 25537628 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-014-1003-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to provide information of the occurrence of Rickettsia felis in wild mammals from three municipalities in Yucatan, Mexico. The reactivity of rodent serum to Rickettsia antigens was detected in 80.9% (17 of 21) samples using immunofluorescence assay. Polymerase chain reaction identified rickettsial DNA in spleens of 43.5% (10 of 23) rodents and 57.1% (4 of 7) opossums. The identification of the rickettsial DNA was confirmed as R. felis by restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing. This study comprises the first report of R. felis detection in wild mammals in Yucatan.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco Torres-Castro
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil, C.P. 97315, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Silvia Hernández-Betancourt
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil, C.P. 97315, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Karla Dzul-Rosado
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Re-emergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzáes #490 x 59, Centro, C.P. 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Jorge Zavala-Castro
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Re-emergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzáes #490 x 59, Centro, C.P. 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Karina López-Avila
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Re-emergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzáes #490 x 59, Centro, C.P. 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Raúl Tello-Martín
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Re-emergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzáes #490 x 59, Centro, C.P. 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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28
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Fang W, Yao L, Cao X, Sun Y, Zhang X, Shao L, Shen T. First Molecular Detection of Rickettsia felis-Like Organism in Eulaelaps stabularis from the Changbai Mountain Area of China. J Parasitol 2015; 101:514-9. [PMID: 26016589 DOI: 10.1645/14-695.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
In 557 mites collected from rodents in the Changbai Mountain Area, 3 pools of Eulaelaps stabularis from Apodemus peninsulae and Apodemus agrarius showed a positive result by PCR amplifications of both the citrate synthase encoding gene (gltA) and outer membrane protein B encoding gene (ompB) of Rickettsia spp. Sequence analysis indicated that both gltA and ompB shared the high similarity (99%) to Rickettsia felis . The data presented in this paper extend the knowledge on the geographic distribution and host information of R. felis -like organism in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Fang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81, Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui Province, China 230032
| | - Lisi Yao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81, Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui Province, China 230032
| | - Xiaomei Cao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81, Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui Province, China 230032
| | - Yi Sun
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81, Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui Province, China 230032
| | - Xiaolong Zhang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81, Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui Province, China 230032
| | - Lijun Shao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81, Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui Province, China 230032
| | - Tong Shen
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81, Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui Province, China 230032
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Abstract
A dataset of bacterial diversity found in mites was compiled from 193 publications (from 1964 to January 2015). A total of 143 mite species belonging to the 3 orders (Mesostigmata, Sarcoptiformes and Trombidiformes) were recorded and found to be associated with approximately 150 bacteria species (in 85 genera, 51 families, 25 orders and 7 phyla). From the literature, the intracellular symbiont Cardinium, the scrub typhus agent Orientia, and Wolbachia (the most prevalent symbiont of arthropods) were the dominant mite-associated bacteria, with approximately 30 mite species infected each. Moreover, a number of bacteria of medical and veterinary importance were also reported from mites, including species from the genera Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Bartonella, Francisella, Coxiella, Borrelia, Salmonella, Erysipelothrix and Serratia. Significant differences in bacterial infection patterns among mite taxa were identified. These data will not only be useful for raising awareness of the potential for mites to transmit disease, but also enable a deeper understanding of the relationship of symbionts with their arthropod hosts, and may facilitate the development of intervention tools for disease vector control. This review provides a comprehensive overview of mite-associated bacteria and is a valuable reference database for future research on mites of agricultural, veterinary and/or medical importance.
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Horta MC, Ogrzewalska M, Azevedo MC, Costa FB, Ferreira F, Labruna MB. Rickettsia felis in Ctenocephalides felis felis from five geographic regions of Brazil. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2014; 91:96-100. [PMID: 24778194 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated rickettsial infection in 701 Ctenocephalides felis felis fleas that were collected from dogs and cats in 31 municipalities, encompassing all regions and major biomes of Brazil. A total of 268 (38.2%) fleas from 30 municipalities were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for the rickettsial gltA gene. The PCR products from 44 fleas, consisting of at least 1 PCR-positive flea from each of 30 municipalities, generated DNA sequences identical to Rickettsia felis. Rickettsial prevalence was highly variable among 30 municipalities, with values ranging from 2.9% to 100%. Significantly higher infection rates by R. felis were associated with the Pampa biome (southern Brazil), and the temperate climate that prevails in southern Brazil. In contrast, lowest R. felis-infection rates were significantly associated with the Caatinga biome, and its semiarid climate. Further studies should evaluate the effect of temperature and moisture on the R. felis infection in Ctenocephalides fleas world widely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio C Horta
- Federal University of São Francisco Valley, Petrolina, PE, Brazil; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Ogrzewalska
- Federal University of São Francisco Valley, Petrolina, PE, Brazil; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Milka C Azevedo
- Federal University of São Francisco Valley, Petrolina, PE, Brazil; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Federal University of São Francisco Valley, Petrolina, PE, Brazil; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernando Ferreira
- Federal University of São Francisco Valley, Petrolina, PE, Brazil; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Federal University of São Francisco Valley, Petrolina, PE, Brazil; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Abdad MY, Stenos J, Graves S. Rickettsia felis, an emerging flea-transmitted human pathogen. EMERGING HEALTH THREATS JOURNAL 2011; 4:7168. [PMID: 24149035 PMCID: PMC3168219 DOI: 10.3402/ehtj.v4i0.7168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2011] [Revised: 05/05/2011] [Accepted: 05/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsia felis was first recognised two decades ago and has now been described as endemic to all continents except Antarctica. The rickettsiosis caused by R. felis is known as flea-borne spotted fever or cat-flea typhus. The large number of arthropod species found to harbour R. felis and that may act as potential vectors support the view that it is a pan-global microbe. The main arthropod reservoir and vector is the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, yet more than 20 other species of fleas, ticks, and mites species have been reported to harbour R. felis. Few bacterial pathogens of humans have been found associated with such a diverse range of invertebrates. With the projected increase in global temperature over the next century, there is concern that changes to the ecology and distribution of R. felis vectors may adversely impact public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Yazid Abdad
- Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, Geelong Hospital, Geelong, VIC, Australia;
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Hii SF, Kopp SR, Abdad MY, Thompson MF, O'Leary CA, Rees RL, Traub RJ. Molecular evidence supports the role of dogs as potential reservoirs for Rickettsia felis. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2011; 11:1007-12. [PMID: 21612534 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia felis causes flea-borne spotted fever in humans worldwide. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, serves as vector and reservoir host for this disease agent. To determine the role of dogs as potential reservoir hosts for spotted fever group rickettsiae, we screened blood from 100 pound dogs in Southeast Queensland by using a highly sensitive genus-specific PCR. Nine of the pound dogs were positive for rickettsial DNA and subsequent molecular sequencing confirmed amplification of R. felis. A high prevalence of R. felis in dogs in our study suggests that dogs may act as an important reservoir host for R. felis and as a potential source of human rickettsial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze Fui Hii
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
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33
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Richards AL, Jiang J, Omulo S, Dare R, Abdirahman K, Ali A, Sharif SK, Feikin DR, Breiman RF, Njenga MK. Human Infection with Rickettsia felis, Kenya. Emerg Infect Dis 2010; 16:1081-6. [PMID: 20587178 PMCID: PMC3321909 DOI: 10.3201/eid1607.091885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This flea-borne pathogen was detected in febrile patients in North Eastern Province, Kenya. To determine the cause of acute febrile illnesses other than malaria in the North Eastern Province, Kenya, we investigated rickettsial infection among patients from Garissa Provincial Hospital for 23 months during 2006–2008. Nucleic acid preparations of serum from 6 (3.7%) of 163 patients were positive for rickettsial DNA as determined by a genus-specific quantitative real-time PCR and were subsequently confirmed by molecular sequencing to be positive for Rickettsia felis. The 6 febrile patients’ symptoms included headache; nausea; and muscle, back, and joint pain. None of the patients had a skin rash.
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Merhej V, Raoult D. Rickettsial evolution in the light of comparative genomics. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2010; 86:379-405. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2010.00151.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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35
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Lledó L, Giménez-Pardo C, Domínguez-Peñafiel G, Sousa R, Gegúndez MI, Casado N, Criado A. Molecular detection of hemoprotozoa and Rickettsia species in arthropods collected from wild animals in the Burgos Province, Spain. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 10:735-8. [PMID: 20055580 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2009.0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Limited information on the presence of bacterial and hematozoan infections in parasitic arthropods from Spain is available. In an attempt to address this issue, the prevalence of Theileria, Babesia, Hepatozoon, and Rickettsia species was investigated by polymerase chain reaction plus sequencing. In a survey for zoonotic pathogens in ectoparasites, 42 wild animals (which included rodents, carnivores, Sciuridae, and Cervidae) were captured in Burgos (Spain). A total of 256 arthropods (including 107 ticks, 76 fleas, and 73 mites) were collected from these mammals. Molecular diagnostic results showed that (i) Rickettsia felis was found in fleas (two Ctenocephalides felis), (ii) Hepatozoon sp. infected some fleas (two Ctenophtalmus sp. and a DNA pool of Ceratophyllus sciurorum) and Acari (one Neotrombicula sp.), and (iii) Theileria annae was found in Ixodes ricinus and I. hexagonus (each a single infected specimen). All microorganisms and parasites were genetically identical to pathogens already described in Spain or elsewhere. Infected arthropods were recovered from beech marten, bank vole, squirrel, wood mouse, and red fox. Our findings emphasize the potential risk for transmission of rickettsias to humans (namely, R. felis) in Burgos, since C. felis is capable to seek out humans for feeding. No hemoprotozoa with proven significance as human pathogens were found in the survey. However, finding T. annae in ticks recovered from wild canids suggests possible links of sylvatic and domestic cycles for some Piroplasmida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Lledó
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
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36
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Abstract
It has been two decades since the first description of Rickettsia felis, and although a nearly cosmopolitan distribution is now apparent, much of the ecology of this unique microorganism remains unresolved. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is currently the only known biological vector of R. felis; however, molecular evidence of R. felis in other species of fleas as well as in ticks and mites suggests a variety of arthropod hosts. Studies examining the transmission of R. felis using colonized cat fleas have shown stable vertical transmission but not horizontal transmission. Likewise, serological and molecular tools have been used to detect R. felis in a number of vertebrate hosts, including humans, in the absence of a clear mechanism of horizontal transmission. Considered an emerging flea-borne rickettsiosis, clinical manifestation of R. felis infection in humans, including, fever, rash, and headache is similar to other rickettsial diseases. Recent advances toward further understanding the ecology of R. felis have been facilitated by stable R. felis-infected cat flea colonies, several primary flea isolates and sustained maintenance of R. felis in cell culture systems, and highly sensitive quantitative molecular assays. Here, we provide a synopsis of R. felis including the known distribution and arthropods infected; transmission mechanisms; current understanding of vertebrate infection and human disease; and the tools available to further examine R. felis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Reif
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Skip Bertman Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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Pérez-Osorio CE, Zavala-Velázquez JE, Arias León JJ, Zavala-Castro JE. Rickettsia felis as emergent global threat for humans. Emerg Infect Dis 2008; 14:1019-23. [PMID: 18598619 PMCID: PMC2600327 DOI: 10.3201/eid1407.071656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The reported incidences of human cases and infected vectors have increased during the past 5 years. Rickettsia felis is an emergent pathogen belonging to transitional group rickettsiae. First described in 1990, R. felis infections have been reported to occur worldwide in fleas, mammals, and humans. Because clinical signs of the illness are similar to those of murine typhus and other febrile illnesses such as dengue, the infection in humans is likely underestimated. R. felis has been found throughout the world in several types of ectoparasites; cat fleas appear to be the most common vectors. R. felis infection should be considered an emergent threat to human health.
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Abstract
Background Since its first detection, characterization of R. felis has been a matter of debate, mostly due to the contamination of an initial R. felis culture by R. typhi. However, the first stable culture of R. felis allowed its precise phenotypic and genotypic characterization, and demonstrated that this species belonged to the spotted fever group rickettsiae. Later, its genome sequence revealed the presence of two forms of the same plasmid, physically confirmed by biological data. In a recent article, Gillespie et al. (PLoS One. 2007;2(3):e266.) used a bioinformatic approach to refute the presence of the second plasmid form, and proposed the creation of a specific phylogenetic group for R. felis. Methodology/Principal Findings In the present report, we, and five independent international laboratories confirmed unambiguously by PCR the presence of two plasmid forms in R. felis strain URRWXCal2T, but observed that the plasmid content of this species, from none to 2 plasmid forms, may depend on the culture passage history of the studied strain. We also demonstrated that R. felis does not cultivate in Vero cells at 37°C but generates plaques at 30°C. Finally, using a phylogenetic study based on 667 concatenated core genes, we demonstrated the position of R. felis within the spotted fever group. Significance We demonstrated that R. felis, which unambiguously belongs to the spotted fever group rickettsiae, may contain up to two plasmid forms but this plasmid content is unstable.
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